Therapeutic HPV vaccine is ready for testing
In early 2016, trials of a therapeutic HPV vaccine begin
Sergey Syrov, XXII CENTURY
Cervical cancer is the fourth most common type of cancer in women. The human papillomavirus (HPV) accompanies 99 percent of cases of cervical cancer and is considered its cause. The human body has been coping with most cases of HPV infection for several years on its own, but there has been no available therapy that would accelerate and improve the process of self-healing.
Genticel has developed a therapeutic vaccine GTL001, designed to combat human papillomavirus strains of high oncogenic risk – HPV 16 and 18. Currently, the safety of the vaccine is beginning to be tested during the first phase of clinical trials at the University of Louisville. Unlike preventive vaccines, which prevent disease, therapeutic vaccines fight an already manifested disease; this is a method known as immunotherapy.
Although methods for diagnosing HPV infection have been developed, there is no standard treatment that would eradicate the infection. Doctors can only monitor the development of precancerous lesions. The creation of a method of HPV therapy will be an important step to prevent the development of malignant tumors, along with preventive vaccinations that prevent infection with certain HPV strains.
"Preventive vaccines like gardasil are available to those who want to use them, but many women don't want to be vaccinated. In addition, most women in our population were born long before the advent of vaccines, so they are not vaccinated and may be infected with HPV," says Diane Harper, professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Louisville (in a press release, Genticel Announces First Patient Treated in U.S. Phase 1 Clinical Trial of GTL001, Company's Therapeutic Vaccine Candidate against HPV 16/18 Infection s – VM).The university is recruiting volunteers to participate in phase I clinical trials of the new vaccine.
These are women aged 25-65 years who have been diagnosed with HPV strains 16 or 18. At this phase of research, the body's tolerance of GTL001 is being studied, it will last about three months. The test participants should not show signs of developing a malignant tumor, they should not have been vaccinated against HPV, should not be pregnant or breastfeeding.
The study participants will receive two injections with a break of six weeks and will undergo various tests and checks. A group of volunteers will be formed by the beginning of 2016.
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03.11.2015